An Adept's Ballad
by I'maFrakkingViperJockey
Summary: The complete power of the Heartstone backfires into one Windstar K'Treva, rendering him unconcious. Enter Snowfeather K'Sheyna, an Adept Healer. Windstar has a dark past and will be slow in healing.Snowfeather has a long and arduous task ahead of him.Slas
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: **None of the terms, places or anything else Tayledras belongs to me; they belong to Mercedes Lackey (who just so happens to be one of my Goddesses, including Maki Murakami). Only Windstar and other characters belong to me, but the concepts belong to Miss Lackey.

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**Chapter one**

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Silver strands glistened in the moonlight, the wind gently stirring it across a pale, delicate face, as the sound of cruel laughter ran through his ears, haunting in its reverbrations.

Knees drawn to his chest, staring unseeingly ahead, Windstar K'Treva shivered as memories rushed through him, chilling him to the core, bringing along with them a remembered pain that made his body shake as if it were but a leaf on the currents of the wind.

The still pool beside him echoed softly with the gentle patter of the water trickling into it from the miniature waterfall streaming from up the side of the rock formation, its resonance stirring something deep inside him he could not name, yet knew he could not dismiss; a constant, subtle reminder that there was a gaping hole deep inside him- one he knew he could never again fill.

Rustling in the bushes behind him broke his reverie, and he turned to see Nightfrost stepping through the foliage, his magerobes flowing gently around him. Quietly extravagant, Nightfrost was one of the lesser mages of the Vale; that was not to say, however, that he was any less excessive when it came to attire.

Tonight, he had chosen a flowing burgundy silk halfrobe with flowing pants to highlight his tanned skin, his silver hair falling to his waist, shimmering in the soft moonlight. Braided into his hair were red and gold beads, feathers and bells.

No, Nightfrost was by no means one of the least extravagant in K'Treva Vale- and he was in every way (apart from beauty) Windstar's opposite, for all that they were cousins.

"This is where you've been hiding, Windstar." Nightfrost walked over to stand infront of him, robes settling around him like he had just come to land, "I've been looking for you."

"Hmm." Windstar looked away; looking at his cousin reminded him of the old days.

"Windstar." Nightfrost sat beside him, and continued in a sympathetic tone, "I know you don't want to, but you have to come and help. We need you. The Goddess knows I am not strong enough; you are the strongest mage in K'Treva. I don't now why you forsook your magic, Windstar; I certainly wouldn't have."

"You know perfectly well why!" Windstar yelled back, angered, "Don't you dare pretend you don't know what happened like everyone else does! I need you, Nightfrost! Don't abandon me!"

Nightfrost stood and walked over, placing a hand on his cousins shoulder, his thumb rubbing gentle circles that soothed and calmed Windstar, just as he had when they were children in magic lessons.

"I'm sorry." Windstar mumbled, leaning into his cousin and burying his head in Nightfrost's shoulder.

"I know." Nightfrost soothed, "I'm sorry, too. Don't stress yourself, okay? After we raise the power of the Heartstone, I'll take you back to you _ekele _and give you a massage."

"N-no. I don't think a massage is going to do me any good, Nightfrost." Windstar tried to disguise the strain in his voice, but from the look on his cousin's face he had failed.

"If you're sure, then."

Nightfrost was perfectly aware of the real reason to his declining of a massage; Windstar was afraid of people touching him. He got exceedingly distressed and tended to pass out from panic.

"Thank you." The soft whisper spoke volumes of gratitude from Windstar, and Nightfrost gently steered him through the underbrush to the trail that lead to the centre of the Vale, where the Heartstone was stationed.

Windstar noticed with a pang that Nightfrost's bondbird, Jaunt, was nowhere near his bondmate; his cousin had sent him off, so as not to hurt Windstar. His absense hurt more that if the falcon had actually been present on Nightfrost's shoulder.

"So what exactly do you and the Elders want me to do?" he questioned, feeling less opposed to performing the magic; perhaps he could momentarily get lost in it, forget everything that had happened. Perhaps, for just a moment, that gaping hole inside of him would be filled.

"We need you to guide us. You have to cast a 'net' over one of the nodes; reel in the power and blanket it over the Heartstone, while at the same time drawing out the old, rogue power."

"So a Renewal?" Windstar asked, cocking his head to one side as they walked, "I've done that before, but I had- help." Wincing, he looked away, angry at himself for slipping.

Nightfrost, peering across at him while brushing a stray branch out of his path, saw the wince and said nothing. Instead, he continued the discussion, "Yes, a Renewal," he agreed, "It shouldn't be that hard- the nodes haven't been properly tapped into by an Adept in a while. You should have enough power, easily. It's not a difficult task."

"I know." Windstar took a breath and came to a stop, Nightfrost stopping a pace ahead and turning to see why his cousin was no longer by his side, "But what if I can't do it? What if I can't, because-"

"Don't!" Nightfrost walked foward and placed his hands on his cousin's shoulders, "Don't think like that. You _can _do this, understand? I believe in you; you just have to believe in yourself."

Windstar gulped, dark memories skittering across his mind, tormenting him.

"O-okay. I'll try."

Nightfrost smiled, "You'll not only try, Windstar, you will succeed. You'll be sleeping peacefully in your _ekele _in no time."

The mage circle glowed with an ethereal blue light, the Heartstone reverberating, it's vibrations a buzzing, hypnotic hum that echoed throughout the Vale.

Seven mages in all, they all, down to the last, glowed with the magelight. One of them, however, glowed the brightest, his hair fanning around him, formal mage robes wafting around him, eyes closed and hands raised to the sky.

Windstar looked nothing short of Godlike when in a full mage trance. Mouth slightly open and brow furrowed in concentration, he looked positively delectable to any lookers on.

His MageSight burning with the intensity of the magic he was calling up, Windstar 'blinked', bringing in the net he had formed from light, lacing it gently around the blazing monolith that was the Heartstone.

Immediately, a rush of power flooded through him, blinding his Sight and Senses, sending a rush of exuberance into him. Reaching into the Heartstone, he began dissolving the 'net', while reaching for the rogue power that pulsed a repungant, angry red as opposed to the Heartstone's green.

Closing a fist of power around the rogue power, Windstar momentarily turned his attention away from the Heartstone to the node he was grounded in, reaching out his other 'hand' to secure more power so he could handle the Heartstone.

But a moment was all it took.

In a rush of blinding light, a flood of power burst through the connection from the Heartstone, breaking his net and hand, tearing through all his defenses, sheilds and channels. The rogue power slammed into him full force, and with a cry of agony, Windstar threw his head back to the sky, and collapsed.

Nightfrost rushed to his cousin's side, too see that the Adept was unconcious. The other mages and Elders crowded around, each inquiring as to what had happened and if Windstar was alright.

"Call a _hertasi_! Send for a Healer! Quickly!" Nightfrost turned a panicked face back to Windstar, Sensing that all his channels were raw, but not destroyed; he would recover, with help from a Healer.

Nightfrost stood and turned his face to the darkness of the Vale surrounding him.

"We cannot do this alone."

TBC...

**A/N:** Weeellll, I hope you enjoyed chapter one! And I am fully aware that I haven't specified exactly _why _Windstar is so stuffed up; It was intentional, just to make you all squirm X3.

Nah, it's really for effect for when I reveal what it is that happened in one of the later chapters, when the 'love interest' (that sound so slutty XD) comes into the story.

AAAnnndd I know you all probably hate me for leaving you at a cliffie, but stay tuned! (even though this isn't a tv D)

_Zhai'helleva_!


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: **None of the terms, places or anything else Tayledras belongs to me; they belong to Mercedes Lackey (who just so happens to be one of my Goddesses, including Maki Murakami). Only Windstar and other characters belong to me, but the concepts belong to Miss Lackey.

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**Chapter two**

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Nightfrost raised his hands to the sky and opened his MageSight, sending out a call for help. That was all he could do for now; his powers were depleated from the Renewal so that he could not manage anything more. All he could donow was stay by his cousins side until a Healer Adept recieved the call and came to K'Treva Vale to help them.

No-one else was strong enough to heal Windstar; the injured boy was the strongest Adept in the Vale, and his magic automatically blocked anyone else out, no matter what their intent.

Turning back to where his cousin lay, he saw that some of thw other mages were lifting him, and the Vale's Healer, a mage at Master level named Songdance, was telling them to take Windstar to his _ekele_, and he could follow behind to do what he could when they arrived.

Nightfrost strode over and placed a hand on Songdance's shoulder, "How bad is he?"

Songdance frowned, "The backlash from the Heartstone was extremely harsh; all his channels are raw, and he is in a considerable amount of pain, which is why he collapsed- his body couldn't handle the overdrive, so shut down. I will do the best I can, but we need an Adept; there is only so much that I can do."

Nightfrost nodded, stepping over a stray branch and glancing ahead to where Windstar was being carried by Firestone and a couple of the other Mages, numerous _hertasi_ popping their heads out of the surrounding foliage to see what they could do.

Even unconcious, Windstar's expression was that of one in extreme pain. Nightfrost tried not to think of the similarity in which they had found the young mage not so long ago. Turning his attention back to the Hawkbrother infront of him, he banished that memory from his mind.

"I sent out a mindcall to the other Vales, so hopefully an Adept will pick it up and come." he glanced again at his cousin.

He hoped that they would arrive soon.

To the south, a mindcall swept through the expanse of K'Sheyna Vale, and Snowfeather raised his head from where he was sitting in his _ekele; _someone needed his help.

A mage, from K'Treva. The mindvoice echoed in his head. K'Treva had been performing a Renewal, anf their Heartstone had backfired, all the power backlashing into their most powerful mage.

Standing, Snowfeather shook the effects of the Mindcall from his mind and frowned. This was serious; very serious indeed. Striding over to where he kept his clothing, he began shoving things into a travel bag; this mage needed his help, and he was going to give it, no matter what the Elders said.

Snowfeather stood infront of a suspiciously mobile piece of brush and stared at it warily for a few seconds. Glancing over to the trees and wildlife to the side of the bush to confirm his suspicions, he saw, to his satisfaction (and to the benefit of his before-waning sanity), that there was indeed a breeze ruffling the branches of _these _trees and bushes.

When he glanced back at the offending bush, however, he saw that it had changed position; it was further back from where he stood next to his _dyheli _than before. Raising an eyebrow, he turned as if to go, and stopped with a smile on his face when the bush called out, "Wait!"

Turning, he tilted his head at the bush, which was pulling branches off itself to reveal a young, lean Hawkbrother, with an eagle on his shoulder. When the young Tayledras saw his raised eyebrow, he frowned disapointedly.

"I didn't make the branches sway, did I?" His bondbird squawked in a manner much like a scoffing laugh, and he looked at it quizically. Turning his eyes to Snowfeather, he smiled, "Welcome, guest. Welcome to K'Treva. My name is Nightfrost, and if you'll follow me, I will take you to the _ekele _you will be staying in, and you can rest until tomorrow."

"No," Snowfeather broke in, "No, that won't be necessary. Pleasantries and rest can wait until later. I would very much like to see the Adept, if i can. Straight away. One so prestigious would surely be of an age that he could not last so long from such a blast."

Nightfrost stopped, surprise and mirth evident in his face, "I...I think you will be surprised, but if that's what you want, then it is done. I will take you to him at once."

"Thank you. My name is Snowfeather, by the way, friend."

He thought he saw his guide hide a laugh, but as they continued, passed it off as his imagination.

As they climbed the ladder of the injured Adept's _ekele, _Nightfrost told him of some of the mage's feats. He sounded like a very seasoned mage, and Snowfeather wondered aloud how such an experienced mage could have let the Heartstone backfire like that.

"Well," Nightfrost paused on the ladder, and Snowfeather stopped under him, noticing the other Tayledras' discomfort, "He...about a year ago, he had an-accident. This was his first real try at anything big in the way of magic since then. He'd forsaken it until the other night."

"Oh. I see." Snowfeather noted to himself to ask, if the occasion rose, what exactly had happened. Not just any happening could dissuade an Adept level Tayledras mage from his magic.

Climbing over the _ekele's _threshold, Snowfeather immediately noticed all the mage costumes hung around the walls. They were evidently unused, and had seemed to have acquired a fine layer of dust. Extremely elaborate, they were nothing less than beautiful, and Snowfeather gathered from the air of disuse that the only reason they were still in the _ekele _was because of an adament family member of friend. The mage that lived here clearly wanted nothing more to do with them.

"Why did we stop on this level?" he inquired; the mage was most defninitely on one of the upper levels, in the living quarters. This was a leisure space, where one could relax or hold gatherings of friends.

"He is in the level above us," replied his guide, "But I just wanted to tell you some things first. My cousin becomes very startled and withdrawn if you ask him the wrong questions, so please try to be careful. And one more thing; please do not, under any circumstances, mention bondbirds to him. And if you could let yours roam around the Vale for a while, I would greatly appreciate it. I am sorry."

"No, no. It's fine." Mindcalling down to his bondbird, Xanter, he told it he could fly freely for a while, "Hang on- _cousin_?"

The other Hawkbrother smiled coyly, "Yes. If you will follow me?"

Before he could question further, Nightfrost had already moved back to the ladder and begun climbing, leaving nothing else for Snowfeather to do but follow. When they reached the floor that the Adept was on, Nightfrost's back was blocking the Healer's view.

"His name is Windstar," the other Tayledras was saying softly, "He's the strongest mage in K'Treva, so we need him up and running as soon as you possibly can. We are in your debt, Snowfeather, for your coming here to help him. I will leave you now, to work, but I will send a _hertasi _later with some food and refreshments for you."

As the other Hawkbrother left, Snowfeather finally got his first glimpse at his new charge- and very nearly fell out of the _ekele _from shock.

If the costumes on the lower level were beautiful, this mage was exquisite. And by no means was he old. He looked to be about sixteen or so, with long, silky silver hair flowing around his head on the pillow lika a halo, and delicate features. He looked like a girl, and was positively ethereal in his sleep.

Then, as he got closer to the sleeping vision lying before him, he realised that he was not asleep; he was unconcious, and in a lot of pain. Sweeping the boy's intense beauty from his mind, he knelt next to him and began preparing for the biggest Healing he had ever done.

Looking down at the Adept mage named Windstar, he wished with all his might that he would be able to make those eyes open again, just so he might see their colour.

TBC...

**A/N: **Okay, well. XP. I hope you all enjoyed that, and my apologies for lack of Windstar's view. He is unconcious, after all! I _might_ have him wake up in the next chapter but w'll see...Nah, I definitely will, i think. It will get boring and repetitive if he _doesn't _wake soon. So now you've met the 'love interest' i reffered to last chapter, and isn't he a funny little thing? Hehe... I look foward to having fun with this one.

Anyhoo, I will leave you to your musing, and off I go to salvage some food from my cupboard before my stomach implodes from hunger.

Oh, and on another note (sorry to keep rambling), that last comment (about imploding) reminded me of a film I saw in Literature, called "The Importance of being Earnest." We read the play and ... you HAVE to see this movie! It's brilliant...rambles. Anyway, have a good one!

_Zhai'helleva, _my pretties.


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